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Jack Johnson vs. James Jeffries Fight Panorama
In 1910, former undefeated heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries came out of retirement and said, “I feel obligated to the sporting public at least to make an effort to reclaim the heavyweight championship for the white race… I should step into the ring again and demonstrate that a white man is king of them all.” And with that racist statement, James J. Jeffries became “the great white hope” and his fight with the very great Jack Johnson on July 4, 1910 was looked forward to as “the fight of the century”. From a pugilistic viewpoint, the fight did not match the hype - the outmatched Jeffries was toyed with by a much younger and stronger Jack Johnson. From a social standpoint, however, it was a barometer of race relations in America in 1910. The outcome of the fight triggered race riots all across the country as many whites felt personally humiliated by the defeat of the great Jeffries. As we approach the centennial of this event on July 4, 2010, we offer a one-of-a-kind panoramic photograph from that hot day in Reno, Nevada. The photograph, measuring 12 1/2 x 47 1/2" framed, depicts a group of Jeffries loyalists embarking from one of the many trains that transported people to the backwater desert town of Reno. On either end of the photo are the combatants Johnson and Jeffries in training poses with the desert in the background. These images are all part of one photo which has been matted to highlight Johnson and Jeffries. The piece has an overall EX-MT appearance, and was likely sold to people arriving by train as a souvenir from this historical fight.
Past Sports Card, Memorabilia, Non-Sports Card and Collecitble Auction Items
Other past auction items that may be of interest to you.
1966 Muhammad Ali-Cleveland Williams Fight Poster
Dempsey and Firpo Lithograph by George Bellows (1923-24)
John C. Heenan Presentation "Heenan v Sayers" Scrimshaw Shell (1860)
1926 Tunney vs. Dempsey Fight Program.
1887 John L. Sullivan Lorillard Card
Joe Louis WWII Mini Poster (7x10”)
Muhammad Ali Memorabilia & Autograph Collection (15)
